The subject invention generally relates to a tubing apparatus for use in an air conditioning system of a motor vehicle. More specifically, the subject invention relates to a concentric tubing apparatus and an air conditioning system that are able to prevent heat gain in refrigerant due to heat that is generated in an engine compartment of the vehicle.
Currently, air conditioning systems for vehicles rely on single, or independent, tubes, hoses, and the like to route refrigerant to various components throughout the system. Reliance on independent tubes is inefficient as the system may realize unwanted heat gain from heat that is generated in an engine compartment of the vehicle. Simply stated, the independent tubes are not shielded or insulated from this heat. In particular, this unwanted heat gain is realized at a low pressure liquid refrigerant line that extends between a receiver and an evaporator of the system to accommodate the flow of the refrigerant from the receiver to the evaporator.
The prior art air conditioning systems that rely on independent tubes are also deficient, as each independent tube must be appropriately sealed at their respective ends. As understood by those skilled in the art, the more seals required throughout a system, the more time required for assembly and the greater the likelihood of a leak that may cause complete system failure. Furthermore, even without complete system failure, the overall performance of the system may be sacrificed due to gradual leaks.
Due to the inadequacies of the prior art, including those described above, it is desirable to provide a concentric tubing apparatus and an air conditioning system that utilizes the concentric tubing apparatus where the apparatus is able to prevent heat gain in refrigerant due to heat that is generated in an engine compartment of a vehicle. It would also be advantageous to minimize a total number of seals required to appropriately seal the air conditioning system.
A concentric tubing apparatus and an air conditioning system utilizing the concentric tubing apparatus are disclosed. The air conditioning system includes a refrigerant compressor, a condenser, a multi-function receiver, and an evaporator. The condenser is in fluid communication with an outlet of the compressor. The receiver includes an outer cavity and an inner cavity. The outer cavity of the receiver is in fluid communication with an outlet of the condenser for receiving the refrigerant from the condenser. The evaporator is in fluid communication with the outer cavity of the receiver for receiving the refrigerant from the receiver. The evaporator is also in fluid communication with the inner cavity of the receiver for sending the refrigerant through the inner cavity and to an inlet of the compressor. The concentric tubing apparatus, and therefore the air conditioning system including the concentric tubing apparatus, prevent heat gain in the refrigerant due to heat generated in an engine compartment of a vehicle.
The concentric tubing apparatus includes a first and second refrigerant tube. The first refrigerant tube, i.e., the low pressure liquid refrigerant line, is in fluid communication with the receiver and the evaporator to accommodate the flow of the refrigerant from the outer cavity of the receiver to the evaporator. The second refrigerant tube, i.e., the suction or suction gas line, is in fluid communication with the receiver and the evaporator to accommodate the flow of the refrigerant from the evaporator to the inner cavity of the receiver.
The second refrigerant tube is disposed concentrically about, or outside, the first refrigerant tube. As such, the second refrigerant tube insulates the refrigerant flowing in the first refrigerant tube from the heat generated in the engine compartment. Thus, undesirable heat gain in the refrigerant in the first refrigerant line is prevented.
Accordingly, the subject invention provides a tubing apparatus that utilizes concentric tubes, or a tube within a tube, to effectively insulate a low pressure liquid refrigerant line from heat that is generated in an engine compartment of a vehicle thereby preventing undesirable heat gain in the low pressure liquid refrigerant line. Additionally, it is advantageous that the concentric tubing apparatus minimizes a total number of seals required to appropriately seal an air conditioning system that utilizes this concentric tubing apparatus.